Fruit and vegetables

Children should be encouraged, not forced, to try a variety of fruit and vegetables.

The importance of mealtimes

Ideally, children should look forward to mealtimes as social occasions as well as for the provision of food. They should be encouraged, not forced, to try a variety of fruit and vegetables and be able to use the adults present as role models for the types of food eaten and eating behaviour. However, nothing will be achieved by trying to make the child eat vegetables they do not like.

Try these tips to encourage a child to try a new food

If a child seems reluctant to eat certain fruit and vegetables, try mixing them with foods they already like such as yogurt, rice or mashed potato.
Show children a new food a few times before you give it to them to try. Offer new food to children as often as possible. If they refuse the food, wait a few days then try again.
Try to make meals a social occasion, eating the same food as your children, at the same time.
Encourage children to help prepare new foods as they will be more likely to try them. Get them to peel, chop and grate fruits and vegetables and talk about the different colours and textures.
Remember that a taste can be as small as half a teaspoon.
Only offer one new food at a time. Serve an unfamiliar food with other familiar ones.
Children are more likely to try a new food if they have the option of not swallowing it. Show children how to carefully spit out the food into a tissue if they don't want to eat it.
Continue to offer nutritious foods despite children's resistance.
Have reluctant food tasters sit with an enthusiastic friend.
Children prefer brightly coloured foods with mild flavours and interesting textures.
Give them special names such as calling broccoli 'mini trees'.

Clever ways of hiding fruit and vegetables in foods

Load chopped vegetables on to favourite dishes like pizza.
Add finely diced vegetables to stews and curries, use a food processor for convenience.
Puree fruit and add to puddings such as rice or milk pudding and add yogurt.
Offer vegetable pasties or fruit parcels, as children often like small portable packages.